Major League Baseball Just Handed Down Its First Domestic-Violence Suspension to Aroldis Chapman

Major League Baseball handed down its first suspension under a new domestic-violence policy, ESPN reported Tuesday, banning Yankees pitcher Aroldis Chapman from playing in the first 30 games of the season. Chapman's girlfriend accused him of choking her during an argument in his Florida home last October, when he also allegedly fired eight gunshots in his garage. Authorities didn't press charges, citing lack of evidence and failure of a witness to testify.

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Chapman, who is not appealing the decision, offered this statement:

"I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening. However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry. The decision to accept a suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration. I made this decision in an effort to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family. I have learned from this matter, and I look forward to being part of the Yankees' quest for a 28th World Series title. Out of respect for my teammates and my family, I will have no further comment."

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His suspension takes effect on baseball's opening day and, according to ESPN, will cost him $1,856,557 of his 11.3 million salary. The new domestic-violence policy was implemented last August, a reaction, ESPN points out, to high-profile incidents involving NFL players.

The 28-year-old Chapman, who was a Cincinnati Red at the time of the alleged incident, is considered one of the best closers in baseball. The Yankees acquired him in January, and he'll be eligible to return on May 9 in a game against World Series champs the Kansas City Royals.